


Not That Bad

by anasticklefics



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Gen, Tickling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-18 11:07:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29242563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anasticklefics/pseuds/anasticklefics
Summary: Ben tries to get used to being alive again. Klaus helps.
Relationships: Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves
Kudos: 17





	Not That Bad

“I promise you it’s not that bad.”

It had been all Ben heard during the first weeks of being alive again; his body materializing and simultaneously freaking out. Unable to cope with what was supposed to be impossible, though he reckoned being a ghost only his brother could see hadn’t been the most expected outcome of his death either. He honestly hadn’t known what to expect, but this wasn’t it. It really wasn’t it.

At first, he’d been so hungry he’d nearly died again; insides screaming from over a decade of no food or water. No need for the things his body now needed to stay alive. He felt like he’d been emptied of all contents, merely flesh and bone.

Klaus had taken him to McDonald’s. It had been the best burger of his life - new and old combined.

Then, he’d been terrified of sleeping. “I promise you it’s not that bad,” Klaus had kept saying, his own ruined and perpetually trembling body beside his on the bed, side by side. Klaus, tormented by ghosts that still terrified him even though he was learning how to control it better. “I promise you it’s not that bad,” he’d said, eyes glued to the wall with the lights still on, sleep not finding either of them.

But Ben had crashed. Had crashed so hard he almost hadn’t woken up, until he’d heard Klaus screaming for relief in his sleep. So he’d woken up because he’d needed to be there for him, like he always was.

“You’re not really convincing me,” Ben had said once his brother had calmed down, wiping at his tear stained cheeks.

Klaus had snorted, so visibly exhausted. “It’s not worse than it is for me, is it?”

It hadn’t been. Ben hadn’t dreamt of a single thing. Being alive was a mix of constant needs and a neverending emptiness. He’d forgotten that.

He’d also forgotten that you needed to be social when people could see you. As a ghost, he’d longed for conversations with more people than just Klaus, who was talking to himself a lot anyway, but now? It was so overwhelming he didn’t know what to do.

His siblings wouldn’t leave him alone, as if afraid. Just like him, lying in the dark every night, thinking it would be the last one. Scared of something he’d already experienced. Not sure if this would’ve been his choice, had a choice been given to him. Still, it felt good to see them all. To touch them. He’d seen them grow up, and then not again for several years as Klaus had stayed away. So much had changed, and yet so much was the same.

He wasn’t sure what part of that spectrum he was on. Maybe he was beyond all that.

Allison wouldn’t stop touching him. Diego wouldn’t stop watching him. Five, who had been away from them all, seemed to not be sure how to deal with it now that the apocalypse was averted. Vanya refused to look any of them in the eye, still, and Luther seemed to not know what to say to him at all.

Klaus wouldn’t shut up, though. At least that remained the same.

And Ben? He had no fucking clue of how to act around any of them.

“Why are you hiding here?”

Ben met Klaus’ eyes, bloodshot from the lack of sleep and so visible even in the dim lighting of the room. “I’m not hiding.”

“You’re so obviously hiding, dude. Scoot over.” Klaus sat down beside him on the bed they shared, always sharing, and leaned against the headboard so that their shoulders were pressed together. “To be fair, the best place to hide is a bed. You can just pretend you’re sleeping.”

“I’m not hiding.”

“And you’re not sleeping either, so what’s up?” Body turning toward Ben, and oh, Ben had forgotten what embarrassment felt like, but at Klaus’ tilted head and raised eyebrows, words that were truer than he wanted to admit, Ben felt himself flush. Stupid. It was all stupid.

He turned away, wishing Klaus couldn’t read him as well as he’d grown to read him. “It’s really nothing. It’s just… weird.”

“What is?”  
  
“Being alive.”

“Ah.”

Ben looked back at him. “Aren’t you gonna say it?”

“Say what?”

“That it’s not that bad? Aren’t you gonna promise?”

“Well.” Klaus’ turn to avert his eyes, staring at the wall, smile so sad he was certain is was mirroring his own. “I’d be mean to promise something I know isn’t true, wouldn’t I?”

“Oh.” Ben ran a hand through his hair. “So, it is that bad?”

“Being alive is fucking horrible.” Klaus leaned his head back with such force Ben heard it collide with the old wood. “I don’t blame you for not adjusting to it well.”

“Am I not?”

His brother shrugged. “I don’t know. Obviously certain things are harder than others, but I think you’re doing your best.”

“Then why am I so fucking overwhelmed all the time?”

He stood, suddenly not able to stand being still. Pacing the room, back and forth, hands fidgeting with his hair, until Klaus stood as well and reached for him, pulling him onto the bed, into his arms, squeezing once before letting him go. It made sense that he didn’t know how to comfort him. Ben didn’t know how to be comforted either.

“So that’s why you’re hiding.”

Ben let out a laugh, looking at him and taking in his concern. So visible and so useless. What good would worry do him now?

“I don’t know how to handle it,” he admitted. “People talk to me and I forget I have to answer.”

“They can’t blame you for having gotten used to being dead.”

“I know, but I don’t want to disappoint them again.”

“You never did disappoint us, Ben.”

“You only say that because you got to see me for the past 15 years. The others are mad.”

“Maybe so, but how many people get to live through a dead loved one coming back? They should be grateful.” Klaus slid down the bed, grumbling, “Ungrateful fucks.”

Ben laughed for the first time in this life, loud and suddenly. Klaus’ face lit up enough to light up the whole room.

“Did you just giggle?”

“No.”

“You so did. I heard you.”

Ben crossed his arms. “Then why did you ask?”

“Just checking. Apparently you never outgrew denial.”

He laughed again, shoving at his brother. “Oh, stop.”

Klaus made a point to always try to make him laugh after that. It wasn’t too hard. Ben, slowly adjusting to it all, found comfort in the familiar humor. The sarcasm, dirty jokes, and, after a certain point, the tickling fingers on his skin.

Still ticklish, it turned out. Klaus wouldn’t let him forget it. A night, just the two of them side by side on the bed, with Klaus telling a story so elaborate it needed his hands to fully paint it out. A grab to Ben’s midriff had paused the tale for a moment, and Klaus continued it with Ben giggling beneath his touch.

Ben hadn’t gotten to properly hear the ending, but he’d be damned if he remind his brother of that.

It was funny, he thought when Klaus delivered his daily dose of pokes to Ben’s ribs. He knew Klaus was at least twice as ticklish, in probably twice the amount of places, and yet he felt no need to reciprocate right now. Even though he knew Klaus liked being on the receiving end. Had practically heard him admit it. Maybe because this was one thing he hadn’t gotten to experience while being a ghost, while he’d seen Klaus get tickled several times. It was his turn, despite how he might’ve felt about it (he honestly wasn’t sure).

“Give me your hand.”

Ben had already grown to distrust Klaus’ motives and so merely narrowed his eyes at him. “Why?”

Klaus rolled his eyes. “Come on. I promise you it’s not that bad.”

“You keep say that.”

“Is it not true?”

“Not always.”

“Well, my intentions are always good. Gimme.”

Ben obliged now, watching Klaus hold his hand in one of his, palm up. “What are you gonna do?”

“Shh, I’m trying to concentrate.” He traced the lines of Ben’s hand, face scrunched up and tongue peaking out of his mouth. “Ah, yes, I see a lot of- what would you call it?” He stilled his fingers with a hum. “Ah, yes. A lot of-” Gaze meeting Ben’s, a mischievous glint to it that was foreboding as hell. “ _Sensitivity_.”

Ben squealed when the fingers went for his wrist, the most unconventional ticklish spot on this stupid body of his. He’d forgotten Klaus knew about it.

“ _Stop_ ,” he pleaded, withdrawing his hand only to have Klaus go for his neck.

Klaus laughed, wiggling his fingers where Ben had trapped them between his chin and chest. “Can’t. I’m stuck.”

“Klaus!”

“You’re gonna have to lift your chin, kiddo.”

Ben, giggling like crazy, grabbed Klaus’ arm. “Please.”

“Lift your chin.”

“I can’t.”

“Come on.”

“It tickles too much.”

“Well, you know what I tend to say.” Klaus smirked, absolutely evil. “I promise you it’s not that bad.”

Spoiler: he lied, but this time Ben didn’t mind it too much.


End file.
